Foot construction fob full



. Sept. 22, 1936. GASTRICH 2,055,458

F OOT CONSTRUCTION FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed April 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 F5 5-1- Fitz--15- .56 IN V EN TOR:

asiiwfiashiah Sept- 22, 1 6 'e. GASTRICH FOOT CONSTRUCTIONFOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed Ap ril 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gusfavgsfi'wh, BY A 5f ATTORN Sept. 22, 1936. e. GASTRICH FOOT CONSTRUCTION FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed April 25, 1934 4 Sheetg-Shet 3 IN VEN TOR:

ATTORN Sept. 22, 1935.

G. GASTRICH FOOT CONSTRUCTION FOR FULL FASHIONED HOSIERY Filed April 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR: li'ushw trial; W

5 ATTORN Patented Sept. 22, 1936 FOOT CONSTRUCTION FOR FULL- FASHIONED HOSIERY Gustav Gastrich, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 25, 1934, Serial No. 722,245

15 Claims.

My invention relates to stockings and particularly to a method of producing a novel foot construction for knitted stockings of the full-fashioned type; it further relates to the method of '5 producing a stocking foot, and, in still further aspects, of producing heel and toe portions, as operating severally and together to improve the stocking as a whole.

The novel foot construction, including novel reinforced heel and toe portions, is not, however, claimed herein, but is claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 93,566, filed July 31, 1936.

Heretofore,iit has been the practice to prolong the life of a stocking and to compensate for wear in certain parts, such as the heel and toe, by providing an additional reinforcing or plating yarn or yarns in such parts. It has also been suggested to provide separate-ply toes, whereby one toe may be cut away, after Wearing through.

However, in a full-fashioned stocking, not only by reason of the requirement of a seam but also in view of the manner in which flat-knit stockings are produced by straight knitting machines, the heel portion has presented certain difficulties in the way of changes or additions, such heel portion, in any stocking, being subject to the extra wear above mentioned. Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a method of forming the heel ofa full-fashioned stocking with a loose or separate ply area or areas of novel construction, whereby to materially enhance the wearing qualities of such stockings over those of prior manufacture, to obtain the resultant economy, to induce more extensive use, and to provide other advantages, as will herein appear.

Another object is a method of knitting the novel foot construction above stated, which method is adapted to be practiced on the conventional full-fashioned stocking machine, and which enables the stockings to be produced on a commercial scale.

The heel of a stocking is a source of frequent discomfort and abrasion of the heel of the wearer, particularly of low shoes. Similarly, the toes of stockings also are subject to extra wear, and are the sources of discomfort. Also, there is a certain play from the heel to the toe, between the wearer's foot and the stocking, and between the stocking and the shoe, in which the heel and toe section cooperate as bases between which the actions occur and the sole extends. This play occurs in various ways depending on varying con- C ditions, such as the fit of the stocking and the shoe, the temperature, the texture, character of surfaces and otherfactors. In other words, by reason of the more or less irregular shapes and sizes of the various elements of the feet, stockings and shoes of different wearers, the feet of stockings are very diflicult subjects to adapt in advance to the complete comfort of every potential wearer; they being only generally so adapted by grading and numbering as to size, by the choice of materials, by the judgment of the purchaser and, in some cases, by the addition of certain of the above-mentioned thickened areas or multi-ply toes.

Accordingly, it is another object of the inven tion to provide a. method of manufacture adapted to improve a stocking generally, by having the foot portion operate better as a whole, to have the heel and toe in better relation to each other, and tohave the toe, and particularly the heel, of such specific improvement, each of itself, as to conduce to the comfort, the safety and to the economic advantage of wearers, in general, irrespective of the exactness of their judgment in selecting The toe portion being also subject to wear,"

but seldom acting as does the heel in the severity of its effect on the wearers foot, is preferably also adapted, as in the heel, to have separate slidable plies, in which an extra ply is not, or not exclusively, as is the prior suggestion, carried as a spare ply for operation when a regular ply is worn out and cut away, but is adapted to cooperate therewith in the form of a sliding movement thereon; the adjacent sliding surfaces being selected and adapted to effectively so act.

Other objects include the provision of a novel method for expediting the production of the improvements, and that may be practiced on a standard full-fashioned knitting machine with substantially no modification of, or addition to, the machine, that shall permit the production of separate plies in selected areas in a substantially continuous knitting operation, without inbe modified and reconstructed to practice the method in accordance with the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view, inperspective and taken from the rear, of a full-fashioned stocking embodying the invention, and in the form assumed in service, v

Fig. 2 is a developed plan view, on a smaller scale, of the blank from which the stocking of Fig. l is constructed,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, of a modified form of the structure thereof,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a view, in side elevation, of the foot of the stocking of Fig. 1, but in the usual fiattened condition produced by the boarding process,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, taken substantially along the line 'll of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a side view, in section, of a stocking foot constructed in accordance with a modified a shoe in cooperative relation'thereto,

Fig. 9 is afragmentary detail view, similar to the lower end of Fig. 2, of a toe structure of the invention, in modified form,

Figs. 10 to 15, inclusive, are diagrammatic perspective views of portions of a full fashioned knitting machine and the, stocking leg blank, illustrating progressive stages of constructing a stocking ofv the invention, and

Figs. 16 to 21, inclusive, are views similar to Figs. 10 to 15, indicating progressive steps of the method of knitting the foot and toe portion of the stocking.

Referring to Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive, the stocking thereof comprises a welt 25, a leg portion 26 including an instep portion 26a, narrowing courses 21, reinforced heel areas 28, an overlying or separate-ply section 29 of the invention, a plated sole area 30 and a toe portion embodying inner and outer separate plies 3| and 32 of the invention.

The separate-ply heel section 29 is knitted, as hereinafter more fully set forth, as a part of the progressive knitting operation of the stocking as a whole. That is, it is an integral part of the stocking, or joined thereto by knitted loops across its top and bottom courses 33 and 34, and is stitched to the stocking along its lengthwise edges 35 and 36.

The adjacent abutting inner faces of the section 29 and the reinforced area 28 are selected,

with the plies arranged to freely slide on each.

other, with minimum sliding action on the shoe and on the wearers foot, respectively, it is eninbefore mentioned, shall be prevented. This action not only thus prevents injury, but very materially increases the life of the stocking at a position where it is subject to great wear.

As indicated in Fig. 3, the rear seam 31 embraces and ties all of the quadrature-related adjacent edges of the halves of the plies 28 and 29, whereas, in the modification of Fig. 4, the stitches 31a and 31b are individual to the halves of the plies 28 and 29, respectively, to increase the sliding areas; the form of Fig. 3 having the advantage of easy fabrication, and the form of Fig. 4 the feature of greater sliding area.

To assist the action of the heel area, as above set forth, the stocking toe may also be constructed of the sliding plies 3| and 32, and provided, as hereinafter set forth, or, as indicated in the modification of Fig. 8, a sliding area of the heel may be extended from above the upper heeledge of a shoe to a position under the heel of the wearer, from which area 40, a conventional sole area 4| extends to a sliding toe area 42.

In either form, through the action of the wearers foot and the imposed weight, the sliding action at the heel section is enhanced by the sliding action at the toe section, and vice verse, to prevent contrary or opposing movements of the toe and heel resulting in the imposition of unnatural or unnecessary forces and movements on the wearers foot.

Fig. 10 illustrates the operation and condition of the stocking fabric on the loop forming mechanism of a full fashioned knitting machine, after the leg blank of the stocking has been knitted from the welt, and through the leg and narrowing courses, to the position of the course 33, which preferably is about one-half inch above the contact portion with the upper edge of a shoe. Only those parts, such as the sinkers and dividers 50 and 5|, knockover bits 52, needle bar 53 and needles 54, of the loop forming mechanism are shown; the other parts and their manner of operation are well known in the art, and are shown and described in detail in the Reading l ull Fashioned Knitting Machine Catalog (copyright 1929) published by the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsylvania. In the heel reinforcements 28, 28 the course 33 is made a loose course by employing suitable rocker motion in these areas, in a manner well known in the art, without lengthening the loops of the course 33 in the instep- 26a.

A draw-off bar 44 carrying hooks 45 to engage only the reinforced portions of the heel, is inserted in the loose course 33, as illustrated in Fig. 10.

The knitting of the leg blank is continued for approximately an inch, after which the course 34 is inserted in the heel tabs 28, as shown in Fig. 11.

The fabric is next placed below the knockover bits 52, and the loops of course 33 transferred from the welt hooks 45 to the needles 54, as indicated in Fig. 12.

The extra reinforced section 29 between the courses 33 and 34 is then knitted, as illustrated in Fig. 13.

As indicated in Fig. 14, the regular heel tabs 28 are then raised above the knockover bits 52, and into knitting position, and interknit with the extra portions 29 during the next knitted course. Following this operation, as indicated in Fig. 15, the knitting of the heel tabs is continued in the usual manner until the leg blank of the stocking is complete.

The knitted leg blank is topped onto a footer machine, the draw-01f motion mechanism of which is indicated in Figs. 16 to 21, inclusive, and the knitting is continued until the instep portion is completed. A loose course 56 is introduced and the hooks 51a of a draw-off bar 51 are inserted in the loops of the course 56. The respective parts are then in the relative sitions illustrated in Fig. 16. The toe portion 3| is then completed in the customary manner, as indicated in Fig. 17. Upon completion of the toe portion, the needle bar 53a is moved out from the knitting position, the draw-off bar 51 removed and a hook bar 58 substituted, and the fabric pressed below the knockover bits 52a, as shown in Fig. 18. The first row of loops 56 of the toe section is then transferred to the needles 54a, the needles are returned to knitting position and the second toe section 32 is knitted, as indicated in Fig. 19.

With the completion of the extra toe 32, the loops of the last course of the original or regular toe 3| are raised above the knockover bits 52a,

and again placed in knitting position, with the loops of the last course of the extra toe section 32, and the two toe sections are interknit'during the first subsequently knitted course, as seen in Fig. 20.

Several additional courses 59 are then knit to form a single fabric, see Fig. 21, to facilitate the looping of the toe. The blank is removed from the footer and is ready for the looping and seaming operations.

By following the above-described procedure a second, or second and a third, ply may be im-' posed upon an original ply, in any desired section of a stocking blank, to form a reinforced area. The threads, in these multi-ply sections, may be of varying weights or other characteristics. They may be of the same count or weight as the threads employed in the leg section, or their weight may be increased, or the section plated. One ply may be formed of thread .of one weight and the added ply or plies of another weight, or any one or all of the plys may be plated to suit the requirements of the producer. likewise may be introduced in the, separate plies.

In completing the stocking, by looping and seaming, Where the plies lie adjacent to one another along a seam, as in the rear of the heel section of Fig. 1, the joining edges of the plies maybe attached as at position 31, Fig. 3, that is, the four edges may be caught and held by a single seam, resulting in the forming of two separate pockets, or the edges of adjacent plies may be seamed separately, as illustrated in Fig. 4,

resulting in the formation of a single pocket and giving to the area greater elasticity, and facilitating the sliding action of one ply upon the other. i

In the formation of a dual-ply toe from a blank, as shown in Fig. 9, the toe portion of the blank may be knitted continuously, the portion 6|, corresponding to the portion 3| above set forth, being formed by lessening the travel of each yarn carrier in successive courses, until a. predetermined course 63 is reached, and then, by increasing the travel of each yarn carrier in successive courses, to widen the fabric to the same proportion by which it was previously narrowed, thereby forming the portion 62 corresponding to the portion 32 above set forth.

Yarns of different material and color After the last course 64 of the toe section 62 is knit, and while the loops of this course still are on the needles, section BI is folded back, along y the line of loops G3, and the course 64a of the section 6| is topped onto the needles, after which several courses are knit to secure the ends 64 and 64a together.

The looping and seaming operation, in this final formation of the stocking, is of a usual character.

While the location of the heel tabs 28 affords a convenien place to apply the additional ply or plies, such plies may be introduced, by the method herein disclosed, in any area where reinfer-cement is desired. V

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. The method of forming a double-ply section in a full-fashioned stocking blank, which comprises topping a preknitted leg section on the needles of a footing machine, continuing to knit until the instep portion-is complete, inserting welt hooks at the end of the instep, knitting a toe portion, lowering the loops thereof upon the needles to a position below the knockover bits, transferring the loops on the welt hooks back to the needles, knitting a second toe, moving the loops of the first toe from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of the second toe, and interlooping the last row of loops of each toe to the other and forming subsequent courses of loops to unite the toe sections to complete the blank.

2. The method of forming 'a double-ply section in a full-fashioned stocking blank which comprises topping a preknitted leg section to the needles of a footing machine, continuing to knit until the instep portion is complete, inserting welt hooks at the end of the instep, knitting a toe portion, lowering the loops on the needles to a position below the knockover bits, transferring the loops on the welt hooks back to the needles, knitting a second toe, moving the loops of the first toe from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the second toe, and attaching the toes and forming subsequent courses of loops to complete the blank.

. 3. The method of forming a double-ply section in a full-fashioned stocking which comprises topping a preknitted leg section to the needles of a footing machine, continuing to knit until the instep portion is complete, inserting welt hooks at the end of the instep, knitting a toe portion, lowering the loops on the needles to a position below'the knockover bits, transferring the loops on the welt hooks back to the needles, knitting a second toe, moving the loops of the 'flrst toe from below the knockover bits to a inforcements, lowering said reinforcements on the needles "to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring the loops on the welt hooks back to the needles, knitting asecond heel reinforcement, moving the first said reinforcements from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of said second reinforcement, interlooping the reinforcements and continuing to knit the heel tabs to complete a leg blank, topping said blank and transferring its loops to the needles of a footing machine, continuing to knit until the instep portion is'complete, inserting welt hooks at the end of the instep, knitting a toe portion, lowering the loops upon the needles to a position below the knockover bits, transferringthe loops on the welt hooks to the needles, knitting a second toe, moving the loops of the first toe from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of said second toe, interlooping the last rows of loops of the toes together and forming subsequent courses of loops to unite the toes to complete the blank.

'5. The method-of-forming a double-ply section in a full-fashioned stocking, which comprises knitting a leg portion, narrowing toward the ankle area, applying welt hooks to loops adjacent to areas to be reinforced, knitting heel reinforcements, lowering the reinforcements on the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring the loops upon the welt hooks back to the needles, knitting a second heel reinforcement, moving the first reinforcements from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to 'the last loops of said second reinforcement, interlooping the reinforcements, and continuing to knit the heel tabs to complete a leg blank, topping said" blank and transferring its loops to the needles of a footing machine and continuing to knit until the instep portion is complete, inserting welt hooks at the end of the instep, knitting a toe portion, lowering the hooks on the needles to a position below the knockover bits, transferring the loops on the welt hooks back to the needles, knitting a second toe, moving the loops of the first toe from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of the second named toe,

' interlooping the last rows of loops of the toes together and forming subsequent courses of loops to unite the toes, and looping and seaming the edges of the blank to close the same to complete the stocking.

6, In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking blank with a coursewise limited doubleply'reinforcement in the heel thereof, the steps which consist in knitting a leg portion, narrowing 'toward the ankle, applying welt hooks to loops adjacent the section to be reinforced, continuing the knitting the walewise extent of said reinforcement, lowering the blank upon the needlesto a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring the loops upon the welt hooks back to the knitting needles, knitting a reinforcing section, moving the loops on said needles from below the knockover bits to the position above said bits, and adjacent the last loops of said reinforcing section, interlooping the loops then on the needles, and continuing the knitting to complete the blank.

7. In thekmethod, of forming a full-fashioned stocking with a coursewise limited double-ply reinforcement :in the heel portion thereof, the steps which consist in knitting a leg portion, narrowing toward the ankle, applying welt hooks to loops adjacent the side edges of the blank at the sections to be reinforced, continuing the knitting the walewise extent of said reinforcements, lowering the blank upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring the loops from the welt hooks back to the knitting needles, knitting reinforcing sections, moving the loops on said needles frombelow the knockover bits to the position above said bits, and adjacent the last loops on said reinforcing sections, intere looping the loops then on the needles, and con tinuing the knitting to complete the blank.

8. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking with a coursewise limited double-ply reinforcement in the heel portion thereof, the steps which consist in knitting a leg portion, narrowing toward the ankle, applying welt hooks to loops adjacent the areas to be reinforced, knitting heel reinforcements, lowering the reinforcement upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring the loops upon the welt hooks back to the knitting needles, knitting additional heel reinforcements of the same course-width as said first reinforcements, moving the loops on said needles of said first reinforcements from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent the last loop of said additional reinforcements, interlooping the loops then on the needles and continuing the knitting to complete the blank.

9. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking blank, the steps which comprise knitting a leg blank including a portion of a primary reinforced heel section, lowering the blank upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring loops in a previous course of said primary reinforced heel section to the needles, knitting a secondary heel section narrower in a coursewise direction than the primary section, moving the loops below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of said secondary section, knitting together the adjacent loops of said primary and secondary sections, and continuing the knitting of the reinforced heel section and the remainder of the blank.

10. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking, the steps which comprise knitting a leg portion and a portion of a primary reinforced heel section, lowering the blank upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring loops in a previous course of said primary heel section to the needles, knitting a secondary heel section narrower in a coursewise direction than the primary section, moving the loops of the primary section on said needles to a position above the knockover bits and adjacent to the last loops of the secondary section, knitting together the adjacent primary and secondary section loops, completing the knitting of said reinforced heel section and the remainder of the blank, and sewing the inner longitudinal edge of the secondary heel section to the primary heel section.

11. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking blank, the steps which comprise knitting a leg portion and a progressively widened portion of a primary reinforced heel section, lowering the blank upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring loops in a previous course of said primary heel section to the needles, knitting a secondary heel section without widening, moving the loops of the primary section on said needles to a position above the knockover bits and adjacent to the last loops of the secondary section, knitting together said adjacent primary and secondary section loops, 76

and completing the knitting of said reinforced heel section and the remainder of the blank.

12. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking blank, the steps which comprise knittihg a leg portion and portions of primary reinforced heel sections at opposite edges of the leg portion; lowering the blank upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring loops in a previous course of each of said primary heel sections to the needles, knitting secondary heel sections in alignment with each of said primary heel sections, movingthe loops on said needles from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of said secondary sections, knitting together said adjacent primary and secondary section loops in a course extending entirely across the blank, and completing the knitting of said reinforced heel sections and the remainder of the blank.

13. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking blank, the steps which comprise knitting V a leg portion and reinforcing areas at opposite edgesof the lower part thereof, inserting a loose course at the lower end of each of said areas in continuation of a normal course intermediate said reinforcing areas, inserting wale ,hooks in .said loose courses, knitting a portion of primary reinforced heel sections in continuation of said areas, lowering the blank on the needles to a position be.- neath the knockover bits, transferring said loose courses by means of said wale hooks to the needles, knitting a pair of secondary heel sections, moving the loops on said needles from a position below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of the secondary sections, knitting together said adjacent primary and secondary section loops, and completing the knitting of said reinforced heel sections and the remainder of the blank.

14. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking, the steps which comprise knitting a blank, including knitting the leg portion and portions of primary reinforced heel sections along opposite edges of the blank, lowering the blank upon the needles to a position beneath the knockover bits, transferring loops in a previous course of each of said primary heel sections to the needles, knitting secondary heel sections narrower in a coursewise direction than the juxtaposed primary heel sections and with the outer edges of said secondary sections in register with the outer.

edges of the primary sections, moving the loops on said needles from beneath the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent to the last loops of said secondary sections, knitting together said adjacent primary and secondary section loops, continuing the knitting of said reintions of the primary sections.

15. In the method of forming a full-fashioned stocking blank, the steps which comprise knitting a leg portion and portions of primary reinforced heel sections, lowering the blank from the needles to a position below the knockover bits, transferring the loops in a previous course of said primary heel sections to the needles, knitting secondary heel sections having outer edges in register with the outer edges of the primary sections, moving the loops on said needles from below the knockover bits to a position above said bits and adjacent tothe last loops of the secondary sections, knitting together said adjacent primary and secondary section loops, completing the knitting of said reinforced heel sections and the remainder of the blank, knitting a foot portion in continuation thereof, and forming a stocking by connecting the opposite edges of said leg and foot portions, including connecting the outer edges of said primary sections, separately connecting the outer edges of said secondary sections, and connecting the inner edges of said secondary sections to the juxtaposed portions of the primary sec- Y 

